It’s not exactly a Where’s Waldo exercise, but if you’ve seen Roman Reigns in the last few weeks, you’re doing better than the majority of the wrestling world. Following his loss to Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania 40, the Bloodline tribal chief disappeared from the wrestling world and it made perfect sense. After holding the Undisputed championship for an unprecedented four-year run, some rime off was warranted.
Fans thought he was back when he appeared to a roaring ovation to save Rhodes from Reigns’ own faction, as Solo Sikoa neared victory at SummerSlam. For the next two weeks, Reigns appeared on the blue brand for confrontations with Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu, coming out on the wrong end of a beatdown at the end of the August 16 episode.
And then… he was gone again. No Reigns on the August 23 or August 30 episodes, and no Reigns at the Bash in Berlin PLE August 31. And thus far, it doesn’t appear that he will be part of the last WWE Friday Night Smackdown of the season, the FOX finale on September 6.
What gives?
SmackDown has certainly been trying to keep up their pace over the last few months, and with WWE Week on USA Network coming next week, Raw, NXT and Smackdown will all co-exist on the one network for four weeks. One would expect Reigns to be involved again soon, but it’s now over four months since he’s been involved in an actual match. At some point there will be official matches against the members of the Bloodline, and perhaps Friday’s promos will build towards that happening as early as next week.
Date: Friday, September 6, 2024
Time: 8 pm ET
Location: Edmonton, AB Canada
Broadcast: FOX
Related: Updated List of Everywhere you can attend a WWE event in 2024
Cody Rhodes Promo
So Edmonton… whattaya wanna talk about? Rhodes invites the Bloodline out to “interrupt” him and they oblige. Sikoa tells Rhodes that he deserves the rematch as he would’ve been champion if it weren’t for Roman Reigns. Rhodes tries to tell Sikoa something, but “We Want Roman” chants reign down. Rhodes says that “you” premiere athlete, deserve a championship opportunity. But he isn’t talking to Sikoa, but rather Jacob Fatu, who he calls to step up from the floor into the ring.
Fatu stepped up to the apron then eventually declares Sikoa is his tribal chief. Rhodes tells Sikoa he won’t lose next week, Sikoa calls the Bloodline into the ring to jump the champ, but the Street Profits and DIY race to the ring to have Rhodes’ back. Nick Aldis intervenes and sends everyone back to their respective corners, but not until he declares it a Steel Cage match. Welcome to SmackDown on USA, folks.
Tiffany Stratton vs Bayley (winner)
A little disjointed to start the match, but a basement drop kick on the outside apron by Stratton was nice going into the commercial break. Bailey lands a flying elbow from the top turnbuckle but Stratton kicked out, and then Nia Jax comes out in support of Stratton. Stratton had a powerful slam that could’ve ended it but Bayley kicked out and then landed a Bayley-to-back suplex.
Bayley dove out the ring with a suicide dive to Jax, and Jax interference distracted the ref while Stratton had Bayley pinned. Bayley catches Stratton with a Roseplant and got the win, setting the stage for Stratton to now be ticked at Jax so she’ll cash in.
A-Town Down Under, Kevin Owens Promo
Long story short, Triple Threat Match later in the show.
Giovanni Vinci vs Apollo Crews (winner)
After a ridiculously long introduction Crews races over and sneaks a pin in three seconds.
Kevin Owens (Winner) vs Austin Theory vs Grayson Waller n Triple Threat Match
Instant action as Owens takes on the duo as they work together. Owens put Waller through a table Waller had set up and they go to a commercial less than two minutes into the match. Clothesline and a Cannonball by Owens but Theory turns the match around and gets the advantage. Waller tries to steal a pin after Theory did the work and the first in-match cracks show. They try to double team Owens on the turnbuckle but he fought them off.
Eventually Theory threw Owens into Waller, and Owens caught Theory with a vicious Stunner for the victory. The two take out their frustration post-match and beatdown Owens.
LA Knight Promo
Knight I went from DC to Berlin to right here in the Big E… No matter where you go, everyone is looking it doesn’t matter if it’s open challengers, No 1 contenders, part timers world class athletes cross eyed halfwits, incels… Carmelo Hayes interrupts and gets his second chance at a promo with Knight. He fnally doesn’t embarrass himself and delivers his lines. Andrade is next out. A bunch of words and eventually Knight nails Andrade with a BFT. Hayes trash talks a downed Andrade and Knight circles ack around and hits Hayes with a BFT too.
Michin vs Chelsea Green (Winner)
Green wth the early advantage, surfing on Michin’s back and landing a nice basement drop kick. Michin turns the advantage with a frankensteiner, then a beautiful move where Green was on the turnbuckle and Michin spread her legs and then pulled her face down onto Michin’s knees. Green returns to power with a strong kick to Michin’s face that sends her to the floor where Piper Niven sneaks in a Senton. An UnPrettyHer ends it.
Street Profits, DIY vs The Bloodline (winner) in 8-man Tag
Jacob Fatu is just built different. ONce he was tagged into the match things just take on a different feel with his speed and power. A great sequence with Johnny Gargano and Angelo Dawkins pulling off a ton of tag moves and super kicks, Montez Ford flies out the ring to take out Fatu. It was a slew of action and then Tommaso Clampa flipped Tonga from the top rope onto the group of six down on the floor. Ford then lands a 450 onto Loa, but a Fatu Senton stopped the pin. Superkick on Gargano then a Samoan drop by Fatu. A superkick onto Dawkins and then an Impaler on Ford. Fatu went crazy before tagging in Sikoa who hit Ford with two Samoan Spikes and the pinfall.
Related: 10 wrestlers Roman Reigns can call on to expand The Bloodline in WWE
